Review Summary

There’s a promising edge to the opening of “Endless Love,” which begins with a young man, David (Alex Pettyfer), speaking in voice-over about a young woman, Jade (Gabriella Wilde). It’s a high school graduation somewhere in Atlanta, and as the camera picks Jade out of the celebrating crowd, David reminisces about how he’s been watching her for years. From the way he talks, he seems to have been watching her closely. Closely enough to suggest that he’s been long nurturing a passion, perhaps an obsession — something deep, troubling and real. Shallow, timorous and unbelievable, alas, end up being more like it. — Manohla Dargis